СУЧАСНІ ПІДХОДИ ДО ВИЗНАЧЕННЯ ЕФЕКТИВНОСТІ ІНВЕСТИЦІЙ В МАРКЕТИНГУ

Climate change has adversely impacted nature-based value chains in the arid and semi-arid regions. The study investigates the impact of climate change on nature-based value chains in arid and semi-arid environments. With an emphasis on rangeland adaptation in Kenya, the study used the VC-ARID (Value Chains for Arid and Semi-Arid Regions) approach, designed to build climate-resilient value chains in arid and semi-arid regions. The findings reveal that climate change poses significant risks to nature-based value chains, including reduced water availability, increased temperature variability, and changes in precipitation patterns. The study identifies several challenges to value chain development, such as limited access to climate information, financial resources, and supportive policies. It underscores the urgent need to integrate climate resilience into value chain interventions to achieve poverty reduction and food security goals in arid and semi-arid regions. This calls for active collaboration and investment in climate information services, research, and extension services to enhance the adaptive capacity of value chain actors and promote sustainable development in vulnerable regions. Given that climate hazards and changes are context-specific, strategies for improving value chains' sustainability must be customized to the unique ecological and socioeconomic setting in which the nature-based value chain operates. Consequently, to build value chains that are climate resilient, each actor along the chain must assess climate risks and manage the activities that make up the value chain adaptively.

Industry in Taiwan inherently dominated by small and medium size enterprises mostly are engaged in OEM/ODM works, leading to the second mover approach, which is advantageous, because companies reduce their risk by entering the markets while the related technologies and manufacturing processes are in mature. Companies tend to acquire licenses from first movers, as well as purchasing, learning, and eventually imitating first mover technologies, that is reducing the costs through mass production. These approaches have helped Taiwanese companies to dominate the manufacturing value chain and achieve excellent performance for many decades. However, in the face of global competition, the increased competitors have made this approach severely being challenged because of the razor-thin profit margins. To overcome this phenomenon, a new strategies in paradigm shift for innovative value creation by extending the value chain of Taiwan beyond manufacturing has been proposed which includes extending the value chain into innovative R&D and marketing, branding, creative design, assertion of patent rights, infringement litigation and most importantly IP value creation, active participation in standards formation, effective integrating existing technologies, sensitive in market needs and adopting new business models and so on. For a long period, research organizations, especially the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), is one of the most important Taiwanese innovation system. ITRI has strongly influenced not only technical innovation policy, but also technological development, commercialization of technologies.

Os polos de Inovação são considerados habitats de inovação, proporcionando a transferência de conhecimentos e tecnologias ao setor produtivo. No entanto, para que isso ocorra é necessário a gestão desse tipo de instituição, compreendendo, principalmente, a lógica do negócio desse tipo de entidade. Nesse sentido, o presente artigo objetiva analisar o Modelo de Negócios (MN) do Polo de Inovação do Instituto Federal de Minas Gerais (IFMG) localizado no Campus Formiga/MG. Para isso, utilizou-se da pesquisa qualitativa, exploratório-descritiva e com estratégia de estudo de caso. Assim, o estudo foi realizado no Polo de Inovação do IFMG, localizado no Campus de Formiga/MG, foram aplicadas três entrevistas semiestruturadas, por meio da adaptação do roteiro de Cavazza et al. (2018) e procedeu-se a análise de conteúdo temática. Como resultados encontrou-se três públicos-alvo compreendidos em industrial, governo e academia, em que cada um deles apresenta demandas específicas ao Polo. Tais demandas puderam ser convertidas na proposta de valor de transferência de tecnologia. Dessa forma, para que o valor ocorra, necessita-se das instituições parceiras como o IFMG e a EMBRAPII; de recursos físicos (infraestrutura), humana (gerencial), financeira, intelectual e social; e dos processos principais de desenvolvimento de projetos, capacitação de pessoal e vendas. Por fim, foi possível verificar que esse modelo de negócio se demonstra financeiramente deficitária, porém economicamente sustentável.

Profiting from Technological Capabilities: Technology Commercialization Strategy in a Dynamic Context

The paper presents a case study of a technology development and commercialisation process in a large Indian company. The organisational structure of the company and the environment in which the case had taken place were presented along with the strategies for implementation. The technology transfer and commercialisation process is discussed within the framework of a systems analysis approach using a technology commercialisation model and the concept of imbedded technology. However, the outcome of the project has not been according to expectations. The reasons found after analysis are inadequate communication and somewhat differing objectives of the different players involved. The need for a strategic view and the scope for exploring the use of information technology tools to minimise the communication barriers is outlined to gain better benefits from such efforts.

South Africa is food secure at national level, but not at household level. Some communities experience food shortages for a certain period during the month or for a period during the year. This is a food security threat to the community, as long as food loss and waste is not given the attention it deserves. Food loss mostly takes place at post-harvest and throughout the value chain until it reaches the consumer. Sweet potatoes are not spared from such losses. These losses tend to undermine the impact of sweet potato as a food security crop. This study was conducted to determine sweet potato food loss experienced at different stages of the value chain. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from a number of entities that are involved in the sweet potato food value chain and have purchased sweet potato material from the Agricultural Research Council. These entities were located in four provinces of the country where sweet potato is mostly produced and processed. Moreover, these entities were involved in at least one post-harvest (value chain) activity. The results indicated that small-scale sweet potato producers sold sweet potato to the local informal market while commercial producers with washing facilities, pack-houses and distributor licenses were supplying established formal markets. Sweet potato processing was done by commercial entities only, not small-scale entities. Sweet potato food loss was experienced throughout the food value chain beginning from crop growth where poor weed management and pest attack was observed. Sweet potato breakages and skinning were predominantly experienced during the post-harvest stage. “Out of specification” losses were experienced at packing and distribution stage while at processing stage, losses were through peeling and removal of insect bites/lesions. No losses were reported at the storage of processed sweet potato stage because entities had well established infrastructure to prevent losses. Processing of sweet potato and other crops reduces food loss and further strengthens the agrifood system and extends shelf-life of food crops to provide food and nutrition security. Key words: Agri-food, post-harvest, food waste, commercial processing, small-scale, informal markets

Rice is Tanzania’s third most important staple crop after maize and cassava, and produced by more than 1 million households who are mostly small-scale farmers. Meanwhile sunflower is the most important edible oil crop in Tanzania, also grown mostly by small-scale farmers. Over the last two decades, rice and sunflower have increasingly become important sources of income. This can be attributed to efforts by the government, in collaboration with development agencies, to commercialise rice and sunflower production to improve livelihoods and reduce poverty among actors in both value chains. There have also been efforts aimed at ensuring sustainable commercialisation and involvement of women and youth in the commercialisation process. Despite these initiatives, women and youth involvement in the rice and sunflower commercialisation process is likely to be constrained by their limited access to land and financial capital. Looking at government policy to promote commercial rice and sunflower production for poverty reduction, this brief examines the extent to which households headed by women and youth have been able to participate in the commercialisation process of the two value chains.

Despite aggressive investments in R&D and its success, Japanese companies demonstrate poor results in technology commercialisation. Almost half of all technological patents that Japanese companies hold are dormant, being unused. The purpose of this paper is to explore why technologies become dormant and how firms can overcome the problem to facilitate the process of technology commercialisation. Based upon the questionnaire survey of Japanese manufacturing companies, we find that exposing technology to the public in early stages of the commercialisation process plays an important role in enhancing overall commercialisation performance. Technology is an equivocal and context-dependent entity and changes its meaning from one context to another. Exposing a new piece of technology to the public enables firms to acquire more information about its market potential, which in return propels the commercialisation process more effectively. This research also implies that an early market exposure of new technological innovation contributes to building an effective inter-firm R&D network.

The question of the effectiveness of domestic extruded compound feed in feeding carp fish was studied - as one of the methods of complex intensification of commercial fish production technology in the conditions of an individual fishery. The importance of studying this issue is dictated by the harsh realities of today, which are caused by the global trends of growing deficits in food products, among which a large share is occupied by fish and fishery products. The increase in demand for high-quality agricultural products and their prices is due to the crisis phenomena in the world economy, caused to some extent by long-term quarantine restrictions on all continents of the planet and the war in Ukraine. The purpose of the work was to study the technological processes of feeding in the cultivation of commercial carp and search for optimal methods for their improvement. To achieve this goal, the following tasks were performed: chemical and hydrobiological parameters in pond water were investigated; linear growth rate, weight growth rate, and carp fattening rate were analyzed; the fishery and economic indicators of the farm “Mykolaivska RMS” were analyzed. In two experimental ponds of the farm, they studied the peculiarities of growing carp fish when feeding them with domestic granulated compound feed with an optimal ratio of nutrients and biologically active substances while systematically determining the hydrochemical and temperature regimes of the experimental ponds, studying the morphometric indicators of two-year-old carp, calculating the fish productivity of the ponds of the farm and economic efficiency use of Reucher Aqua “Carp” feed. The obtained results confirm the effectiveness of using dry water-resistant extruded feed for feeding carp fish, which is manufactured according to modern technologies: it does not decompose in water for a long time. Therefore it does not change its quality and color; balanced in terms of the primary nutrients and biologically active substances, which positively affects the growth and development of fish, quality, and taste indicators of their meat. The use of this feed in a complex of intensification measures to improve technological processes in fish farming will allow obtaining a significant production and economic effect.

This paper analyzes university-industry technology transfer (UITT) and innovation capabilities development at Canadian universities. In so doing, it discusses the Canadian experience in terms of science and technology policy and UITT. Some governmental initiatives both at federal and provincial levels are presented searching to rank Canada among top countries in the world in terms of R&D and innovative performance. The Canadian case might be particularly interesting to analyze in relation to UITT for several reasons. However, university spin-off creation has become an important mechanism to transfer technology from universities to industry since it has important impacts on economic value and job creation.

The bonding between searching and technological development strengthens commercial opportunities in 4th industrial revolution. This research analyzed main scientific contributions, published about commercialization and transfer of technology on 4.0 industry environment. The study was applied with 52 articles analyzed, which 30 of them objectively complied the study field from 2015 to 2020, an empiric methodology was applied, which allowed the theoretical construction, being the intellectual property the main commercial armor tool concerning patent management. Inside findings it was discovered a need of new strategies development to strengthen and accelerate the commercialization and transfer processes of technology, due to industry features 4.0, which has accelerated changes in most of the sectors, improving processes and information optimization, generating opportunities in international markets. Because of that the knowledge achieved in technological innovation can boost competitiveness besides income generation for organizations, but it must reach the commercialization and transfer stage, which has been achieved through the patent of the invention. According to the patent office registration, Mexico has one of the lowest levels compared with the main world economies. It is recommended to study more about this topic due to the scarce information in this field of study.

Innovative industries need efficient markets for technology (MFTs). One determinant of MFT efficiency neglected until now is licensing level—that is, the level in the value chain where patents are licensed. Patents may be licensed upstream, to firms that put the patented knowledge into practice. I refer to this as integrated licensing. Alternatively, patents may be licensed further downstream in the value chain, in particular to makers of final devices. I call this bifurcated licensing since it separates intellectual property rights from the technical knowledge they cover. I study the licensing level of essential patents on communication standards such as LTE and Wi-Fi in relation to the Internet of Things (IoT). The choice of licensing level in this context is currently a hotly debated topic. To show how bifurcated licensing affects MFT efficiency, I present empirical evidence from a qualitative study comprising interviews with 30 individuals from 22 diverse firms, focusing on startups. IoT device makers clearly find the uncertainty regarding infringement, patent validity, and the licensing process hinders efficient licensing, which is compounded by the large number of IoT device makers and, for SMEs and startups, by resource constraints. As a theory contribution, I show that a patent's licensing level need not correspond with the implementation level of the patented knowledge—in other words, licensing may be bifurcated rather than integrated. I develop a model of how licensing level affects MFT efficiency. Implications for practice are that device-level licensing of standard-essential patents (SEPs), if broadly implemented, would have a negative effect on innovation and entrepreneurship in the IoT. Policymakers should ensure that SEP licensing is simplified.

Analysis of value chain of the artisanal sea urchin fishery of Baja California, México

This study compares value chains based on domestic forest biomass for the production of bio–synthetic natural gas (SNG) with respect to economic performance, GHG emissions, and energy efficiency. Value chains in which raw material is upgraded to intermediate products before transportation to an SNG plant integrated with a district heating system for further upgrading are compared with a chain in which the raw material is transported directly to the SNG plant. The intermediates considered are either dried biomass from forest residues, or bark, upgraded at pulp mills, or pellets from sawdust upgraded at sawmills. The findings show that the difference in performance between the studied value chains is generally small. The highest cost and significantly lowest energy efficiency are associated with the value chain with pellets, which leads to the conclusion that more pretreatment than what is required by the SNG process, to lower transport costs, is not profitable. Drying forest residues at pulp mills before further transportation to and upgrading at an SNG plant leads to somewhat higher transportation costs because of the relatively high fixed costs associated with transportation. However, the benefit of drying the biomass using excess heat at pulp mills is that heat is “moved” from a location, where it can be hard to find profitable ways to use it, to the SNG plant, where the excess heat can be used for district heating. With these two factors working in opposition, the total cost is similar if forest residues are transported directly to the SNG plant or via a pulp mill. The lowest cost is achieved when falling bark from pulp mills is used because the first transportation step is avoided and no additional investment for biomass handling at the mill is required. However, there is a technical uncertainty regarding how much bark can be used in the SNG process.

The COVID-19 pandemic generated diverse impacts and responses in agricultural value chains worldwide. Cocoa is a key crop for Ecuadorian exports, and the analysis of effects the pandemic had on value chain actors contributes to the understanding of their individual capacities to coping with a major shock. The purpose of this study was to assess the number and severity of impacts and responses implemented by two links in the cocoa value chain to the pandemic, based on a survey of 158 cocoa farmers and 52 cocoa intermediaries from the main cocoa-producing provinces of the northern coast of Ecuador in 2021. Surveyed farmers and part of the intermediaries form part of the sustainability program of a large Swiss chocolate manufacturer. The impacts and responses reported were grouped into seven resources according to the Activity System Approach. Then, a comparison between groups was applied using the Wilcoxon rank sum test for nonparametric data, determining the most severe impacts and effective resilience responses among the actors. The results reveal that farmers and intermediaries were similarly affected by the pandemic, reporting 21 and 16 negative impacts, respectively. Farmers experienced a higher number and severity of impacts on financial and social resources, while intermediaries on human and material resources. The strongest impact was the loss of sales, reported by 65% of farmers and 58% of intermediaries. Farmers implemented more social responses that they judged highly effective, while intermediaries implemented more human responses that they judged highly effective. Public policy should enhance the social resources of farmers by strengthening their associativity and the capacities of their members, as mechanisms to mitigate their vulnerability to future health and climate crises. The financial resources of both actors should be protected through public credit and agricultural insurance.